When food prices start to rise and groceries get more expensive, we start to hear from new gardeners asking if having a vegetable garden can actually save money. This can be a complicated question with a lot of potential answers depending on individual needs, circumstances and location. So while there’s no one size fits all answer to “does a vegetable garden save you money?”, we can talk about some ways to create a garden that will save you money and help cut your grocery costs. There’s a way to garden in almost any space, and there’s generally a way for that garden to help reduce your grocery bill! In grand Gardzen fashion, let’s dig in and learn how a veggie garden might help save you money!
First and foremost, let’s remember that gardens come in all shapes and sizes. If you have a smaller space, a container herb garden, a cherry tomato plant, or a small chili plant can help add lots of flavor to your cooking while saving you money as well. Don’t be afraid to start small with your veggie garden and expand as you get a sense for what works for you and your budget. A few plants in containers by a window, containers or raised beds on a patio, or a sprawling garden in a big yard are all gardens and can all be helpful in the kitchen.
As a second consideration, for a vegetable garden to supplement your grocery budget it must grow veggies you’ll actually like and eat. While we enjoy gardening experiments and trying new plants of all kinds, if you’re growing vegetables to help cut food costs you’ll probably want to stick to things you know you like. There can still be a wonderful variety within that depending on your tastes and climate, so explore the seed section and the greenhouse of your local garden supply store and see what you can find.
When it comes to vegetable plants, annuals tend to provide a faster return on investment than perennials. Fast growing things like herbs, peas, and beans are all popular choices for starter gardens for this reason. Plants like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, melons, and cucumbers take a bit longer to start producing but can provide a great deal of food over the course of a season. While planting fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and fruiting vines can be wonderful long-term investments, a food-producing garden might want to prioritize annuals instead.
Consider community gardens or shared garden spaces in order to make gardening and the veggies it produces more accessible. Many community gardens are affordable to access—some only ask that you put in a set amount of work every week or month—and they can absolutely help new gardeners or folks looking to save money on groceries get started. Community gardens have become much more common in recent years and there’s probably one near you. If not, you can start one—contact your local garden club and see if they have more information.
Have a plan for using and preserving your garden vegetables in order to maximize savings and get the most out of your growing season. There are many possible ways to do this safely and easily—freezing veggies is a popular option—and some more complex ways like canning and drying. You’ll want to make sure that you’re eating whatever your garden is producing at the time or preserving it. You can also share it with neighbors, or trade for different veggies that they’re growing. Community is always helpful when gardening!
Finally we strongly recommend that you use local resources to learn about local gardening! Your local nursery, community garden, garden club, or extension office might be able to give you information for your region and what grows there. You may be able to connect with other gardeners and learn more about growing veggies in your corner of the world while acquiring the tips, tricks, and resources that help get you started.
At the risk of self-promotion, there’s a lot of good information on our blog and other garden blogs to help you get started. If you have questions about saving money with a vegetable garden or any other garden topic, please ask them in the comments or send us an email. Gardzen is all about community, and we’re here to help!
Leave a comment